Melissa Hoffer: VP, Director, healthy communities and environmental justice.

• Position: FIVE QUESTUONS FOR ... - Interview with Melissa Hoffer - Interview

Why is CLF concerned about emissions from the transportation sector?

In New England, the transportation sector not only produces over one-third of the region's greenhouse gas emissions, it is also the fastest growing source of those emissions. While we are starting to make some headway in reducing emissions from the power sector, transportation's piece of the emissions pie continues to grow unabated, and that's primarily because of an over-reliance on passenger cars.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

What's the most effective way to reverse that trend?

Taking a trip on public transit produces roughly half the greenhouse gas emissions as taking that same trip by car. Where there are good public transportation options available, we need to motivate more people to use them. Where the options are insufficient, inaccessible, or non-existent, we need to prioritize investment in improving and/or building them. Where public transportation options aren't available or practical, we have to be creative and find other ways we can encourage people to reduce their passenger vehicle use.

People are pretty attached to their cars. How does CLF hope to break up that love affair?

We understand that, for the foreseeable future, people will need to drive. However, appealing to peoples' wallets can be a very effective way to get them to drive less, especially in this economy. One promising solution is car-sharing. Car-sharing can eliminate the need to own a second car, reducing a family's emissions by about half, not to mention the savings on gas, insurance, maintenance and parking. Another solution is pay-as-you-drive (PAYD) auto insurance pricing that rewards drivers with cheaper premiums if they drive fewer miles, a program CLF Ventures has been offering through its...